All News

January 10, 2013

But Study Indicates Commercial Jetliner Orders Have 'Probably Peaked'

A new study released this week by RBC Capital Markets indicates that there may be better times ahead for the business jet sector of aviation, but that the record orders experienced by Boeing and Airbus the past couple of years could be the top of that cycle.

County Board Votes To Rescind Airport Privatization Approval

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to rescind its approval for Sacramento International Airport to be allowed to privatize, or use corporate airport screeners in place of federal employees. The move was the result of a lobbying effort lasing nearly a year on the part of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union representing TSA workers.

System Is Ready For Entry Into Service To Perform Surveillance Missions In Patrol Areas Up To 150 Miles From Shore

Development of an advanced maritime reconnaissance intelligence (MRI) system based on the Tecnam P2006T light twin aircraft has been completed by Indra. The company said in a news release that the system will provide security, air-sea rescue and marine environmental control forces with the highest detection capacities at the lowest acquisition and operating costs in the market.

The second generation of Embraer E-Jets will be powered by Pratt & Whitney's PurePower Geared Turbofan engines, the company announced Tuesday. Planned to enter service in 2018, the Embraer E-Jets equipped with PurePower PW1700G and PW1900G engines are expected to offer significant reductions in fuel burn, emissions, noise and operating costs compared to today's aircraft, according to Pratt & Whitney.

Second ATR 72-600 Delivery Expected In March

The Austrian carrier InterSky has taken delivery of their first ATR 72-600 aircraft which was ordered in 2012. This is also the first ATR aircraft that will fly in the livery of an Austrian airline. The new aircraft was welcomed Tuesday morning at Friedrichshafen Airport, the company’s main operating base, strategically situated in the southernmost part of Germany.

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Receives Orders For 481 Aircraft In The Same Period

Bombardier Aerospace said Wednesday that it delivered 233 aircraft during the 2012 calendar year, compared to 245 aircraft deliveries in the previous fiscal year, the 11-month period ended December 31, 2011. The Company also received orders for 481 aircraft, net of cancellations, compared to 249 orders, net of cancellations, for the previous fiscal year.

Owner Says She Is Current On Rent Payments To Santa Maria Airport, Will Seek Lease Extension

The owner of a business she claims is one of only 162 aircraft painting facilities in the country says she is being threatened with eviction from Santa Maria Airport on the central California coast because she has been late paying some of her bills in the past.

The FAA is proposing a $275,000 civil penalty against Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., of Memphis, for allegedly operating a Bombardier CRJ on 11 flights when the aircraft did not in comply with Federal Aviation Regulations.

Pipistrel's Cost-Effective Trainer Shows Strength In Tough Market

Pipistrel has long been known for affordable flying fun... but their latest offering was meant to be a revolutionary aircraft to those looking for a truly affordable training aircraft. Seriously; the main differences from the "normal" Pipistrel aircraft and the new Pipistrel ALPHA Trainer aircraft is that the aircraft has been designed from the ground up for flying school operations. The aircraft has a reduced wingspan to make hangarage easier; there is a new more robust undercarriage and shorter nose leg offering improved visibility from the front of the aircraft.

Company 'Working Closely' With NTSB On Investigation

Boeing issued a statement late Tuesday regarding the electrical fire that broke out Monday aboard a JAL Dreamliner sitting at a gate at Boston Logan International Airport. There were no passengers aboard the airliner when the fire started, and it was extinguished by airport and Boston fire personnel.

Chinese Company Acquired The Helo Manufacturer In Late December

China has gobbled up another aircraft manufacturer. Word comes from Enstrom that as of December 27, 2012, Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co., Ltd (CQHIC), located in Chongqing, China has acquired Enstrom Helicopter Corporation, moving from one foreign owner to another.

Fifty-Eight Airplanes Delivered, A 23 Percent Increase Over 2011

It seems like low and slow is still popular among recreational pilots. Light aircraft designer and manufacturer CubCrafters has announced that, as of December 31, it has delivered 58 new airplanes during calendar 2012, a 23% increase over 2011, and more units than any year in the company’s history.

Talks Back Underway Wednesday For Engineers And Technical Workers

The union representing engineers and technical workers at Boeing resumed contract negotiations with the company on Wednesday, but the two sides reportedly remain far apart on major contract issues. Members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, marked the resumption of talks with a “Day of Action” that included lunchtime solidarity events at Boeing facilities from Everett to Portland and Utah.

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Seven On Board, Including Five Americans, Fatally Injured

A Boeing BH-234 Chinook helicopter belonging to Columbia Helicopters of Aurora, OR, reportedly went down Monday in Peru, resulting in the fatal injury of five Americans and the Peruvian crew of two. The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from an airport near the town of Pucallpa enroute to Tarapoto.

Diamond Aircraft Exec Says Low Weight Could Make It A Leading LSA Powerplant

After two and a half years of development, Austro Engine said its new AE80R rotary engine was successfully run on its test bench on Tuesday. The company says the new engine is expected to weigh just 60 pounds and produce 80 horsepower.